GORDON STRACHAN’S decision to stay on as Scotland boss at least until the England game hasn’t gone down well on the Hotline he hates so much.

The depression from the horror start to another qualifying campaign that looks doomed already still hangs over the nation at a time when we should be getting excited about a trip to Wembley to take on the Auld Enemy next month.

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Stephen Nisbet emailed : “I can’t believe Strachan has been so selfish and is staying. He’s lost the plot (you see this in his interviews) and definitely lost the respect of his players.

“He contradicts himself by saying he dropped Oliver Burke for experience yet Kieran Tierney plays. He’s a joke and so are the SFA.

“The only way he can win support back is picking the in-form players who are doing well for their clubs and dropping the old pals act.

“That means guys like Phil Bardsley, Matt Phillips, Ross McCormack and Jordan Rhodes rather than guys like Chris Martin, who he likes despite the fact he couldn’t hit a barn door.

"If he’s not prepared to do this he has to walk now rather than ruining another campaign.”

Left out: Ross McCormack and Jordan Rhodes (Image: Daily Record)

Tom Handley, Dumfries , said: “Strachan should leave and take Grant Hanley with him because I’ve seen milk turn quicker than him.”

Colin Moore, Bellshill , said: “The first thing Strachan needs to do is get rid of Darren and Steven Fletcher. You’d be better with Norman Stanley Fletcher than those two.

“He talks about having sympathy for the fans but refuses to give them the respect of answering when a journalist tried to ask questions that fans had sent in to the BBC.”

But rather than just slaughtering the manager, what can be done? Here’s a few constructive ideas.

Billy Brown, Musselburgh , said: “The reason our national team is so poor is that the structure is wrong. The next manager should already be in line to follow on from Strachan and take up the mantel.

“The day Strachan was appointed they should have made Barry Ferguson the Under-21s manager. He’s a promising young coach who has seen it all at club and international level - including the negative learning experiences of being a bad boy.

Clyde manager Barry Ferguson

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“Ferguson is wasted at Clyde and he should be in the system progressing already.

“We need to get a structure of succession in place so that when the time comes he is ready to step up and he’ll be familiar with all the young players who are ready to come through having worked with them already.”

Eddie Eason, Ballingry , emailed: “I was brought up watching the great Scotland teams of the 60s, 70s and 80s when we all played football in and out of school and at youth clubs. We even had street teams.

“None of that is there any more. There are youth teams and coaching lessons but children have to pay money that most parents don’t have in this time of austerity. Football has to be brought back into schools.”

Not so sure about this idea for the future from Paul Bradstock, Kilmarnock , who said: “The SFA should get Sam Allardyce in as next manager of Scotland before the England game.

“Both his parents were Scottish and I’m sure big Sam would be highly motivated to beat the Auld Enemy after the way it ended for him with England.

“I would also have someone like Steven Pressley working beside him who could take over the reins in a few years.”

Sam Allardyce left after one match in charge of England

To other matters now and Paddy Purcell would like some answers from Kilmarnock star Kris Boyd.

He emailed: “Could Kris Boyd give his reasons for tipping Rangers to finish second in the league with the present group of players?

“He is showing nothing but contempt for Aberdeen, Hearts and the rest of the teams above them.”

Jim Lynas, Surrey , said: “It looks like Rangers are going to have to pay Joey Barton to leave Ibrox, so where does the money come from?

“The first thing Dave King promised was £20-30 million to be pumped into the club, so far nothing has transpired. He’s taking all the fans for mugs. As long as they keep turning up he won’t spend a penny.”